Partnerships are tested as Eileen asks Tom and Julia to contend with an unwelcome new collaborator, while Jimmy and Kyle prepare to present their work for the first time. Derek attempts to get Ronnie back on his side. Ivy finds it hard to move on, but help from an old friend might take her one step closer to her dream.

Mary McNamara

Verne Gay

David Wiegand

[It's so] good you can't help wondering why no one thought of it before, a compelling mix of credible real-life melodrama with a fictionalized approximation of what it takes to get a Broadway show from the idea stage to opening night.

Curt Wagner

Robert Bianco

Unless you're allergic to musicals in general and Broadway in particular, you should find that a compelling central story, a strong cast, an out-of-the-procedural-mold premise and some rousing, roof-raising numbers more than compensate for any lingering problems.

Rob Owen

Matt Roush

The first few episodes after tonight's sensational pilot struggle to find the right balance between the musical and the dramatic, but by the fourth hour, as the new leading lady makes things difficult for the also-ran during the tense rehearsal process, Smash finds its footing.

Michael Landweber

If Smash lacks the benefit of Aaron Sorkin's hyper-literate and unmistakable dialogue, it follows Studio 60's format, observing the producers, writers, and actors who collaborate on a show, particularly what happens backstage.